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Title: The adoption and usage of e-government tools by South African metropolitan municipalities

Authors: Gibson Muridzi; Shepherd Dhliwayo

Addresses: Department of Business Management, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland, South Africa ' Department of Business Management, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland, South Africa; Centre for Organisational Change and Agility (COCA), Torrens University Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia

Abstract: This study examines citizens' adoption and use of e-government tools to access services in South Africa's metropolitan municipalities. As e-government initiatives expand globally, local authorities embrace digital solutions to improve service delivery. Using a qualitative approach, interviews were conducted with executive members from three metropolitan areas, and the data were analysed using Atlas.Ti 7.2. The findings reveal that factors such as 24/7 website access, political support, public internet availability, shared applications, skilled professionals, strong communication infrastructure, modern technology, and public-private partnerships are essential for promoting e-government adoption. The study recommends that practitioners design e-government services as integrated digital ecosystems to enhance citizen engagement and improve service efficiency. Overall, this study offers practical insights through a digital framework aimed at fostering the adoption and effective use of e-government tools in South Africa's metropolitan municipalities.

Keywords: e-government; adoption; usage; municipalities.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEG.2025.150127

International Journal of Electronic Governance, 2025 Vol.17 No.5, pp.1 - 23

Received: 21 Dec 2024
Accepted: 11 Apr 2025
Published online: 01 Dec 2025 *